Helena weekly herald., 1887-11-17
AFTER THE EXECUTION.
An Interview With Sheriff Mason.

CHICAGO, November 11.-Sheriff Matson
sat in his private Office this evening He
was very pale, and the dark rings beneath
his eyes showed that he was worn out with
thinking, very, excitement and hard
work. He leaned back in his easy chair
and rested his feet on another seat in front
of him, as he surveyed the lithograph of
twenty-eight Sioux Indians being executed
at one time, which occurred in 1862 -Four
at once is enough" he remarked, as he laid
down the picture.
"You look tired" remarked the reporter.
well, do not deceive my looks then"
he replied, 81 have slept but little this week
and not at all last night"
Are you satisfied with the result of the
duty imposed upon you?"
YES think the execution passed off
as well as an unpleasant thing like that
could. 1t is always sad job for an official
to perform, but with healthy public sent
iment behind him the officer feels strong
in doing his duty. | had no fears that
there would be trouble. The police aided
me greatly, the arrangements of Chief
Ebersold and Capt. Schaak this morning
being admirable and too much credit can
not be given them and their efficient force.
/ did all could to have the thing carried
out decently and in order and think we
succeeded fairly well. There was not
crowd in the jail and very few curiosity
seekers. The jury was business men and
outside of these and few first class ply
sicians, who were present for scientific
purposes, there were only the representa-
tives of the press"
do you take any significant meaning
from the last words of the doomed men? 2"
mo, DON'T" replied the sheriff. He sat
still moment thinking of the broken SEN
teDce of Parsons as the drop fell and then
said: with the strained public senti-
ment / did not deem it expedient to have
the men make long speeches at the time.
Of course, it is customary, and it is be-
lieved that a man can talk as much as he
pleases on the scaffold, but there is no law
authorizing it, and / deemed it best not to
allow it. 1t seemed to me that it would
only lead to excitement. There had been
no understanding that they would be al
lowed to talk from the scaffold, but on the
contrary, as we were going to the gallows
was told by DR.. Bolton that they did not
want to talk, as they had written great
deal to be printed"
'Do you apprehend that there will be
any trouble at the funeral?"
mo, don't. l think the better judg-
ment of the friends of the unfortunate
men will prevail and that nothing will be
done to cause a repetition of to-days
work"
"Why was the execution delayed from
10 to II o'clock ?"
1T was my intention yesterday to have
the work over pretty early, say at 10
o'clock, but when heard Captain Black was
at Springfield pleading with the Governor,
decided to hold off and give them the
benefit of their counsels work. did not
care to have it said that we had rushed
them to eternity when there was a chance
of their being saved, and so waited.
"At 1015 a. M. second dispatch came
that Capt. Black had left the Executives
presence and that the latter had declared
it his irrevocable intention not to inter
fere further with the verdict of the courts.
1 might have hanged them then, but
waited till the usual time before carrying
out the execution" The Sheriff does not
seem to fear that he will be prosecuted for
murder by attorneys Black and SolOman,
as per notice yesterday, but expressed him
SELF that it was very foolish notion. He
believes that Mrs. Parsons should be
watched and prevented from travelling
around as the widow of a martyr" to carry
out the work of organizing the anarchists.